Hi... And Help?

[Skittle13]

Hi, my name is Melanie

I'm new to this hobby and I have a Betta fish in a 6.6 galloon (25 litre) tank with loads of problems haha due to poor instructions (the usual) so I’m sure you will see a lot of me from now on! Sorry >.<

To start i have:

White cloudy water before any fish and it still does now even after two 50% and one 25% change before the fish went in (moving the gravel around as well with a python thing)... I've got a liquid water tester kit which show between 0-0.25 ammonia. Since having the fish (yesterday) I done a 50% water change using the usual tap safe (dechlorinator) and I think is a filter boast or what is described as "live bacteria" which I think is the reason for the white cloudy water...

Surprise! The tank is not cycled due to bad info from the shop but I do not want to put him back as he was in a tank full of rosey barbs (I mean like 20 plus) and his fins are ragged and may have fin rot as well as many were dying (in worse shape).. but he still has a long tail so I’ve got aquarium salt coming as I heard that is good for this. I'm not sure how to much to put in as I have been told so much different things and if bettas require less. I have also kept up a tab for kanaplex if this doesn't help to buy it if this doesn't work... what are the signs/how long should i wait?

But the main thing I want to know is how to balance between keeping the water nice and clean (also how to stop this cloudiness as I don’t think is ammonia) and the ammonia/nitrite spiking that I am excepting during the cycling process to keep him as healthy as possible.

Oh the tank has a filter (came with the tank... not sure what it is but has a black sponge only in it) I have a heater keeping him at 25c as any higher he stays at the top of the tank gasping for air. The PH fluctuates around 6.8-7.2 and the water is quite hard (reason for cloudiness?) but my water treatment says it neutralises it...

The products I am using are "love fish" filter boast and tap safe. During water changes I mix everything in the bucket before adding...


Sorry for the block of text but I feel I have researched enough but need direct answers now haha

p.s. I do know the science about the nitrogen cycle and how the ammonia and nitrite is toxic to the fish but it want to really do this via water changes and not lots of chemicals.. I’m only happy to put chemicals in when he gets really sick (fin rot) and wished I known sooner! So I hope you guys will help!

 

[mike455555]

welcome to the forum

i dont know much about anything else with your tank but the cloudiness could be down to the tap safe. i use this on my tanks and when i first used it the water was cloudy. but it cleared up overnight so i wasn't worried about it

but thats just my personal experience

 

[Zikofski]

Hi, my name is Melanie

I'm new to this hobby and I have a Betta fish in a 6.6 galloon (25 litre) tank with loads of problems haha due to poor instructions (the usual) so I’m sure you will see a lot of me from now on! Sorry >.<

To start i have:

White cloudy water before any fish and it still does now even after two 50% and one 25% change before the fish went in (moving the gravel around as well with a python thing)... I've got a liquid water tester kit which show between 0-0.25 ammonia. Since having the fish (yesterday) I done a 50% water change using the usual tap safe (dechlorinator) and I think is a filter boast or what is described as "live bacteria" which I think is the reason for the white cloudy water...

Surprise! The tank is not cycled due to bad info from the shop but I do not want to put him back as he was in a tank full of rosey barbs (I mean like 20 plus) and his fins are ragged and may have fin rot as well as many were dying (in worse shape).. but he still has a long tail so I’ve got aquarium salt coming as I heard that is good for this. I'm not sure how to much to put in as I have been told so much different things and if bettas require less. I have also kept up a tab for kanaplex if this doesn't help to buy it if this doesn't work... what are the signs/how long should i wait?

But the main thing I want to know is how to balance between keeping the water nice and clean (also how to stop this cloudiness as I don’t think is ammonia) and the ammonia/nitrite spiking that I am excepting during the cycling process to keep him as healthy as possible.

Oh the tank has a filter (came with the tank... not sure what it is but has a black sponge only in it) I have a heater keeping him at 25c as any higher he stays at the top of the tank gasping for air. The PH fluctuates around 6.8-7.2 and the water is quite hard (reason for cloudiness?) but my water treatment says it neutralises it...

The products I am using are "love fish" filter boast and tap safe. During water changes I mix everything in the bucket before adding...


Sorry for the block of text but I feel I have researched enough but need direct answers now haha

p.s. I do know the science about the nitrogen cycle and how the ammonia and nitrite is toxic to the fish but it want to really do this via water changes and not lots of chemicals.. I’m only happy to put chemicals in when he gets really sick (fin rot) and wished I known sooner! So I hope you guys will help!

hello and welcome to the forum

and np happens all the time LFS are c**p to put it politely , from what i have read the cloudy water will be a bacteria bloom this is okay and shouldn't hurt the fish it will be from the bacteria you put in? how often are your water changes and what sort of test kit are you using?

on the other note I'm surprised your fish are floating to the top when you raise temp but the floating to top gasping for air I've been told is due to lack of O2 in the water i was told to move my filter closer to the top or angle the outlets to create movement or a ripple effect on the surface this will allow O2 to some how magically move from air to water have a look online or on this forum about the fish in question regarding its temp there comfortable at

just to warn you people will state doing a fish less cycle but sounding like you have done half and half have a look at the beginners resource centre in my sigi it is a long read but is worth it

again welcome and hope you fish will stay strong and healthy

 

[Skittle13]

welcome to the forum

i dont know much about anything else with your tank but the cloudiness could be down to the tap safe. i use this on my tanks and when i first used it the water was cloudy. but it cleared up overnight so i wasn't worried about it

but thats just my personal experience

1!
Hmm its been cloudy for a week before i put the fish in.. about a day after putting the first lot of tap safe in. Yes this could be a possibility! Thank you for the quick reply

 

[mike455555]

like Zikofski said it could be a bacteria bloom could be an algae bloom? what colour cloudiness is it?

as for the lack of O2.. it could be that but bettas are labyrinth fish (they can breath surface air) it might just be that hes getting air from the surface but moving the filter up a little could help

 

[Skittle13]

Thank you for the welcoming!

Haha I worked out they were rubbish quite soon when he looked at me strange when I asked how hot they keep the water at the shop etc. The answer I got was... warm?

Right now I was doing quite a few water changes as I have heard to keep the water quite clean when there is fin rot but obviously this is going to unbalance the cycle going on in the tank (?) The test kit I have is the API liquid freshwater one.

For the lack of O2 I have already made the filter do an arc so there is ripples but I found I needed to balance the temperature with this as if its too hot (I have him on the lower side for what they need) he goes to the top and gasps then gets spun around by the flow of water. Think I got the balance now >.<

Have I done it half and half then? I was not sure as I did not add any ammonia (source) only the bacteria from a bottle. I will have a read then

The only thing I am worried about is the balance or water changes for the cycle and fin rot =/

like Zikofski said it could be a bacteria bloom could be an algae bloom? what colour cloudiness is it?

as for the lack of O2.. it could be that but bettas are labyrinth fish (they can breath surface air) it might just be that hes getting air from the surface but moving the filter up a little could help

Oh it is white/gray cloud.. yes it does sound like a bacteria bloom anyway to know if it is, or just go by colour?

Yeah i've lifted the filter now happy betta!

 

[mike455555]

if it was green i would say it was a algae bloom (i dont know anything on bacteria blooms so im uselss there sorry)

what substrate do you have in there?

 

[Skittle13]

if it was green i would say it was a algae bloom (i dont know anything on bacteria blooms so im uselss there sorry)

what substrate do you have in there?

Ahh it’s definitely white ...

Um I have small gravel around a 1/4 inch thick
The only other things I have in there is decor such as somewhere to hid and plastic plants

I can see where you are going... i did not wash it before going in about a week ago! Though I did massive water changes then (python/moving the gravel around) and after to correct this and it basically disappeared. Though after some time after the water changes it is back. Linked? Not sure =/ as the mist seems different. So I’m definitely going with the bacteria bloom and I will continue to do water tests waiting for the ammonia spike.

 

[Skittle13]

Hi, my name is Melanie

I'm new to this hobby and I have a Betta fish in a 6.6 galloon (25 litre) tank with loads of problems haha due to poor instructions (the usual) so I’m sure you will see a lot of me from now on! Sorry >.<

To start i have:

White cloudy water before any fish and it still does now even after two 50% and one 25% change before the fish went in (moving the gravel around as well with a python thing)... I've got a liquid water tester kit which show between 0-0.25 ammonia. Since having the fish (yesterday) I done a 50% water change using the usual tap safe (dechlorinator) and I think is a filter boast or what is described as "live bacteria" which I think is the reason for the white cloudy water...

Surprise! The tank is not cycled due to bad info from the shop but I do not want to put him back as he was in a tank full of rosey barbs (I mean like 20 plus) and his fins are ragged and may have fin rot as well as many were dying (in worse shape).. but he still has a long tail so I’ve got aquarium salt coming as I heard that is good for this. I'm not sure how to much to put in as I have been told so much different things and if bettas require less. I have also kept up a tab for kanaplex if this doesn't help to buy it if this doesn't work... what are the signs/how long should i wait?

But the main thing I want to know is how to balance between keeping the water nice and clean (also how to stop this cloudiness as I don’t think is ammonia) and the ammonia/nitrite spiking that I am excepting during the cycling process to keep him as healthy as possible.

Oh the tank has a filter (came with the tank... not sure what it is but has a black sponge only in it) I have a heater keeping him at 25c as any higher he stays at the top of the tank gasping for air. The PH fluctuates around 6.8-7.2 and the water is quite hard (reason for cloudiness?) but my water treatment says it neutralises it...

The products I am using are "love fish" filter boast and tap safe. During water changes I mix everything in the bucket before adding...


Sorry for the block of text but I feel I have researched enough but need direct answers now haha

p.s. I do know the science about the nitrogen cycle and how the ammonia and nitrite is toxic to the fish but it want to really do this via water changes and not lots of chemicals.. I’m only happy to put chemicals in when he gets really sick (fin rot) and wished I known sooner! So I hope you guys will help!

hello and welcome to the forum

and np happens all the time LFS are c**p to put it politely , from what i have read the cloudy water will be a bacteria bloom this is okay and shouldn't hurt the fish it will be from the bacteria you put in? how often are your water changes and what sort of test kit are you using?

on the other note I'm surprised your fish are floating to the top when you raise temp but the floating to top gasping for air I've been told is due to lack of O2 in the water i was told to move my filter closer to the top or angle the outlets to create movement or a ripple effect on the surface this will allow O2 to some how magically move from air to water have a look online or on this forum about the fish in question regarding its temp there comfortable at

just to warn you people will state doing a fish less cycle but sounding like you have done half and half have a look at the beginners resource centre in my sigi it is a long read but is worth it

again welcome and hope you fish will stay strong and healthy

Just a quick question

Looking at this pic:

http/mixdown13.deviantart.com/art/Skittle-has-fin-rot-275581355

How bad do you think the fin rot is.. i'd like to mention there are a few small pin holes which can't be seen in this pic and a black (like the colour part has been pulled away~)edges.
Do you think just clean water and salt treatments would be enough or something a bit stronger? As i am sure this was likely started by tail biting from other fish.

actually nevermind this is a bit off topic.. ill make a new one ..sorry >.<

 

[Steve H.]

Hi

Just wanted you to know not to worry about doing water changes during cycling. They.are actually good because they help keep the toxins down during a fish in process. They.won't adversely effect the growth rate of your bacteria.

There is a cool thread about it in the Beginner Resource section.

Welcome and good luck!